Finalized in 2023, the “Steirereck am Pogusch” project, brought to life by PPAG architects, beautifully unifies sustainability and haute cuisine within the Austrian Alps’ scenic heart. It pioneers a revolutionary concept for eco-conscious luxury dining establishments, poised to shape their future trajectory.
Steirereck am Pogusch Technical Information
- Architects: PPAG Architects
- Location: Turnau, Austria
- Topics: Restaurants
- Gross Area: 2,957 m2
- Completion Year: 2023
- Photographs: © Hertha Hurnaus
Here, self-care means caring for the planet too: The focus was set on renewable energy supply (heating, cooling, electricity), supplemented by measures to reduce resource consumption (on-site food production, circular economy, composting, ecological selection of building materials) and reduction of mobility-related energy and CO2 consumption.
– PPAG Architects
Steirereck am Pogusch Photographs
Sleeping in a Greenhouse and Dining within an Eccentric Gazebo
“Steirereck am Pogusch” is a remarkable extension of the celebrated Viennese restaurant “Steirereck”. For years, Steirereck has claimed its place among the pinnacle of global gastronomic offerings. Nestled atop the Pogusch, a 1059-meter high pass through the Austrian Alps, Steirereck am Pogusch is enveloped by its own agricultural lands.
The extension project was envisioned by gourmet chef Heinz Reitbauer and his wife Birgit, who aimed to showcase the innovative and sustainable potential of the gastronomic industry. Tasked with the integration of an untouched natural landscape and a modern, high-end catering business, they aspired to design a harmonious future. The result is a unique ensemble of original structures and new additions, akin to a village, crafted harmoniously within the mountain landscape.
Most of the new structures, striking in their design, nestle into the hillside. They create a seamless blend with the surrounding nature and traditional architecture, serving as delightful visual highlights. The existing buildings – a kitchen, accommodations, a stone house, a wooden house, and the farm – have been augmented by relevant, modern additions.
These include expansive catering spaces like the “Salettl” for gourmet dining, a fire kitchen equipped with a bar, grill, steam counter, farm store, and regulars’ table, along with a distillery, extended kitchen areas, a quaint kitchen garden in a petite glass house, special accommodations for staff and guests, and a comprehensive extension of both visible and hidden infrastructure.
The centerpiece is a spacious glass house, a fusion of a state-of-the-art greenhouse and a living area that mutually enhance each other’s ambiance. It incorporates sleeping berths and a wellness zone equipped with a sauna and a fireplace. PPAG architects paid meticulous attention to every detail and furnishing, imbuing the project with an ultra-modern total work of art, or ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’, and transporting the visitor into an exceptional alpine universe.
Here, taking care of oneself also translates into caring for our planet. An emphasis was placed on renewable energy sources for heating, cooling, and electricity, supplemented by strategies to reduce resource consumption. This included on-site food production, implementing a circular economy, composting, and selecting ecological building materials.
The design also aims to curtail energy and CO2 emissions related to mobility. As a result, the project, despite its remote mountainous location, evolves into an almost energy self-sufficient, resource-conserving hospitality venture. “Steirereck am Pogusch” has been recognized as a part of the “City of the Future” research initiative by the Austrian Ministry for Climate Protection and Technology.
Steirereck am Pogusch Image Gallery
About PPAG architects
Anna Popelka and Georg Poduschka, together with their team, lead PPAG architects in Vienna and Berlin. Since its founding in 1995, the office has been working continuously in the field of research and development of architecture in the broadest sense, with an ambition to conceive and realize concrete innovation. From furniture design, to urban planning, PPAG architects consciously explore different areas, themes, and dimensions of architecture.
